the grand children
by Sha-Sha-Shadow
Summary: is this new generation doomed to replay the events of the past, or do new holders of the Millennum iteams mean new friendships, or will the oppiniouns of thouse they respect most- their grandparents-threaten their relationships, and our very existance?
1. Chapter 1

The day that changed my life forever started out just like every other Saturday in my life: I woke up at 7:00 AM to get to my job at the pet shop, I took my morning shower, brushed threw my hair, applied my make-up, and ate breakfast as quietly as possible, as to not wake-up my cousin (well, my 2nd cousin, but I'm not one for technicalities), only to discover that she's already up working on a mid-term report.

"Iris, you have the entire weekend to finish that, get some sleep!" I replied, inspecting my lipstick in the reflection of the stainless steel refrigerator.

She smiled sweetly at me "you're one to talk!" she laughed, "you nearly faint on the couch when you get home on Friday, then you wake up early and work all morning!"

"Yes, well me getting up early means we make the rent!" I replied "you just do it for fun!" pulling on my jacket, and headed out the door, "I'll pick-up something for dinner, so don't worry about cooking-ah!" THUD! I tripped over a very large crate that the door man had apparently left in the middle of the hallway, upon further inspection I found that it was addressed to Mara Marcella and Iris Lee Ishtar AKA: my older cousin and me (though why they used our middle names I don't know!). But what interested me was the name on the return address: Ishizu Ishtar, Iris's grandmother (whom she was loosely named after, as I was loosely named after my grandfather), who had-as far as I know-died before either of us were born.

"Mara, are you okay?" Iris asked sounding genuinely concerned as she normally did no matter what I was screaming about.

"Yes, Iris, I'm fine!" I replied, "Um… how well did you know your grandparents?" I asked.

"Well, unlike you, both my grandparents were dead before I was born, so not at…" her voice trailed off as she walked into the hallway to check on me. "This has to be some kind of trick!" she gasped, shaking her head.

"Well, let's open it!" I replied, dragging it into the living room, I was quite excited to know what was in the box, I picked up the pry-bar, that we had for some strange reason, and popped the top of the box and looked inside, I felt a strange presents emanating from the box, like two people were somehow trapped inside of it.

First of all there was a letter addressed to Iris, I handed it to her and she read it aloud:

_Dear Iris,_

_I'm sure that you a confused and maybe a little bit scared at this point, but it will only get worse, please care for Mara, so she doesn't share the same fate as the last person to hold the Millennium Rod._

"Cryptic!" I replied, digging through box full of saw dust, "what do you think it means?" I asked.

"I don't know, Mara, you're the one who grew up in Egypt!" Iris replied, casting the note aside.

"Although I'm well versed in Egyptian mythology, I was never told anything about a Millennium Rod!" I replied, just then my finger tip grazed something cool and metal in the box, I felt dizzy; I almost fainted as I curled my fingers around the object and pulled it out. "Hello!" I replied, "This must be the Millennium Rod" inspecting the golden rod more closely in the light.

"Mara, I understand that you're partial to ancient Egyptian artifacts, but, you're going to be late for work!" Iris replied rummaging around threw the box herself. I looked up at her: she had just found her own little prize in the box: a necklace with the same eye shaped crest as the rod did, her eyes were starting to roll back into her head, and she was emanating a strange, powerful presents.

I shock her gently; she blinked and looked at me with a confused look in her eye, "are you alright?" I asked.

She nodded and smiled "go to work!" she replied.

* * *

I got to the pet shop late; luckily the manager didn't come in on the weekend, but to my co-worker and best friend (Reino Bakura) quiet: I had to invite him to dinner, on me of course.

We walked home with the take-out bags in hand, exchanging friendly gossip and reminiscing about our child hood, when suddenly I felt dizzy, so much so that I lost my balance and fell, almost landing in the oncoming traffic of the main road.

"Hey, are you okay?" Reino asked, grabbing my arm, and trying to pull me back away from the street.

I put my hand on my forehead; the felling had suddenly changed from dizzy, to something along the lines of a migraine and an incredible swelling, as though something was trying to escape from the dark depths of my mind. Then –as I was told later by Reino- something in my backpack started glowing, as the pain starter to grow, it got more and more unbearable, I don't know what would have happen if it hadn't suddenly subsided. I blinked a few times, stupefied at what had just happened, looking at Reino for conformation, there was a small crowd of onlooker gathering around us, I quickly grabbed Reino hand and he hoisted me up, and we quickly and quietly made our way through the crowd before anyone had the chance to question us about anything.

We didn't talk until we were safely in the apartment lobby, I sat down in one of the arm chairs and started going through my bag, looking for whatever might have been glowing, I found only my wallet, my cell phone, a package of gum, a few beauty supplies & other odds and ins, a small photo album of friends and family, and the Millennium Rod.

"Hey what's that?" Reino asked, trying to take the Millennium Rod from me, I jerked it away before he could grab it; I was well acquainted with his skills as a thief.

"Slow down there Thief King, just because its shinny doesn't make it yours!" I mocked, "And any ways, I don't really know what it is; me and Iris got a package this morning, its part of the reason we were late," I explained, "but the weird thing was it was from Iris's dead grandmother!"

"Iris and I got a package!" Reino replied, "I swear it's like you didn't listen at all in ESL!"

"Okay, that's what you got from the story I just told you?" I asked. "And I spoke English before we came to collage, so shut-up!"

"So, Dead relatives are sending you ancient artifacts, weren't your grandparents' tomb keepers or something-"

"Hey, you don't have any room to make fun of my ancestry, considering you come from a family of Thieves!" I interrupted. "And only one of my grandparents was a tomb keeper (my grandmother was an artist from Texas)"

"My point is weirder things have probably happened! (Like your grandparents meeting)" Reino replied. "And if it bothers you that much, Mara, just call your Grandfather and ask him about it" he held out his hand "may I?" he asked, I gently placed the rod in his hands, half expecting it to shock the ever living crap out of him. "This looks so familiar!" he replied mainly focusing on the eye in the center (oh, you all know what the Millennium Rod looks like!) "Like, I've seen it before, but not here!"

I reached over and tugged on the large pendent that he often wore, a gold ring with several sharp objects hanging off of it, and the same eye in the middle of it (The Millennium Ring!) "Um, Reino!" I replied, "Your 'family treasure' there!"

"Oh, right!" he replied, taking it back from me, and as if on command as soon as we started paying attention to it, it started glowing and pointing at me.

"Um, okay, what does that mean?" I asked.

"I don't know, it's been just a pendent until today!" he replied.

"Let's just go upstairs!" I replied, standing up to leave.

* * *

I thought everything was over for today; I thought I would just go up to my loft and enjoy dinner with my cousin and best friend, what I discovered was far worse.

The door had been busted open, and the entire apartment was trashed, Iris's laptop was broken in two, the couch cushions were slashed, the refrigerator was on its side, and someone threw everything that was on our book shelves on the floor, in my room everything had been dumped out of my drawers onto the floor, my mattress had been flipped over, and as if it was just out of spite my mirror had been smashed.

"Iris?" I yelled, now franticly searching for my cousin.

"Hello, I'd like to report a robbery" I heard Reino say, as I climbed the latter to get to Iris's room.

"Iris?" I was about to have a panic attack, with one last idea I pulled out my cell phone and called her, hoping she hadn't been home. As it rang, I felt as though I was in a bad horror movie, I prayed she would pick up, I prayed harder than I had ever prayed before, because for the 6 years of my life (back when I lived in Texas with my parents), she was the only friend I had, considering she was the only person close to my age that I knew.

My prayers had fallen on deaf ears it seemed, because when someone finally picked up the phone, it wasn't her, it wasn't even Adam, or Tari, or any of her friends that would have her cell phone, instead I got a gruff, scary sounding voice "what do you want?" he yelled.

"I want my cousin back!" I yelled.

"Is that so?" he laughed, then how 'bout this, we'll give you your cousin, if you give us your Millennium Item!" he replied.

"I want proof of life!" I replied I had seen enough CSI episodes to know you always get proof of life.

There was a rusting sound, and I heard Iris's distorted voice: "Mara? Oh my God, are you okay?"

"_I'm _fine!" I replied, "Did they hurt you?"

"No, not intentionally!" she replied.

"Don't worry I'm going to come get you!" I told her, hanging up before she had time to protest.

"What do we do?" Reino asked, "The police won't help much!"

I sat down on the remainder of our couch and let out a sigh, "the only thing we can do!" I replied "you stay here and wait for the cops; I'm going to go get Iris from those Psychos!"

"Mara, no!" Reino yelled, "That's too dangerous!"

"Exactly, that's why you're staying here!" I told him.

"At least find someone to go with you!" he replied.

* * *

All I could hear was the sound of my own footsteps, as I paced back and forth in the ally way, waiting for my new accomplices to show up.

"Ishtar!"

I looked up, "it's about time, Kaiba!" I replied, checking my watch "come on, we don't have much time!" I said starting the trek to the exchange point. That's right the only person I could think of calling was the most privileged person I knew: Sam Kida.

"Mara!" he replied. I turned on my heels to face him "You haven't explained anything to me yet!"

"Iris has been kidnapped!" I replied "I brought you, well, because you're the heir to a large company, and frankly people will care if you go missing!"

"People would care if you go missing!" he offered, fallowing after me, he was a sweet boy if nothing else, we related, seeing as how we were both raised by our grand fathers.

"Yes, but mine are in Egypt, and probably would hear about it until it's too late!" I replied, "Just stand there and get ready to call 9-1-1 if this goes sour!" I hoped on my motor cycle, and as the common cortices I handed the helmet to Sam, he put it on and got on behind me.

I drove as fast I could, I felt sick knowing that they could do anything they wanted to Iris, and I couldn't do anything to stop it, anger and aggression were taking over and I wasn't doing anything to stop it, little did I know, it would lead to my down fall.

* * *

Authors note:

Okay, few things I want you to know before I end this chapter:

1)Mara is Marik's granddaughter, in case you didn't catch that

2)There are a few more main characters that haven't been introduced

3)Marcella and Lee (Mara and Iris's middle names) are my grandparents

4)Iris was not intended to be the Mokuba of this fan-fic, it just worked out that way

5)If you see the names Banner, it's supposed to be Reino, I changed his name because my friend pointed out to me 2 things: a) there's a character in GX named pro. Banner and b) Bakura isn't Bakura's first name.

6)I do not own Yu-gi-oh, but I do own Mara, Iris, Reino, and Sam (and in later chapters: Adam, Julia, Kari, Tari, Mari, Miranda, Dylan, and Mina)

7)I like Chocolate chips


	2. Chapter 2

Triple-S: Yo, my faithful readers, it's been a wile hasn't it? Well not really considering how long it's take me to update some of my other stories, lol! But I would like you to please R&R no matter what you have to say!

Have you ever had one of those moments where you can't remember what you just did, no matter how hard you try? Well, after that ride with Sam it happened to me, in fact it was so bad that I couldn't remember going home after that, or cleaning up, yet when I woke up: everything was clean, Iris was safe at home, and we both somehow managed to hold onto our Millennium Items.

The next morning I decided to leave it alone, and go about my day, "what do I do on Sundays?" you ask? Well, Iris works on Sundays, so I eat breakfast, maybe watch a little TV (but what really comes on, on Sunday), and then I meditate. "Why do I meditate?" You ask? (And to that I say "shut-up, you ask too many questions!"). Well, it's because I have what you would call aggression issues: it keeps me level-headed, and perky.

I had an ability to go to some sort of menial sanctuary called a soul room, back then it was kind of morbid and I never knew exactly what it was going to look like, because I didn't have a defiant personality, I was still trying to figure out my life, but most recently it took the shape of an art studio in a place called Salado Texas, the art capital of Texas! My dad took me there when he had something bad to tell me, nun-the-less, it was a nice place that held a lot of good memories. (Trust me if you haven't been it is an A-Maze-Ing place!)

Although this time I was in for a bit of a shock, when I entered the depths of my psyche, I found two rooms, my little place in Salad, and something that looked like the Crypts of Egypt.

_Well, _I thought1, examining the other room, not realty wanting to enter, but curiosity was getting the best of me _that explains the migraine! _I reached out and with a great amount of force I managed to push the door open, warily stepping inside, like I said it was a Crypt of Egypt! Feeling a little more at ease now that I knew what was inside I explored a little.

"Hello?" I asked as if I expected someone else to be in my mind, I looked around, kind of chuckling to myself about my made up mental roommate. I spun around playfully on my heels ready to return to my own room, only to come face to face with a taller, more serious-looking, male version of me- that is to say, if I had played with light sockets when I was little (his hair was sticking practically straight up!). "What are you doing in my head?" I almost shrieked. Now that I was faced with him, the idea of a mental roommate was quite terrifying.

He gave me a somewhat evil laugh, "Foolish mortal child! Did you seriously claim position of the Millennium Rod without knowing what it was?" he asked.

"I didn't think it was anything more than an ancient artifact at the time…" I replied taking a couple steps backward to put a little distance between the two of us. What was I supposed to say 'no, I knew about this, I was just testing you'? I know when to roll over and expose my tender underbelly!

He gave me another laugh "Are you not a tomb keeper, like my past host?" he asked. "You have the Pharaoh's secrets carved onto your back."

"I come from a family of tomb keepers, yes," I replied, secretly roving my mind for what he might have mint by 'past host' and wondering if it was someone I knew. "Now who are you?"

"Ha, you have no manners, little girl!" he scolded, there was something wrong with this guy… I mean more so than just the obvious.

"Of course, where _are _my manners, why didn't I remember to introduce myself to the _mind rapist_ in _my _head? My name is Mara-Marcella Ishtar, but I would prefer Mara, now, may I know your name, or would you prefer 'mind rapist'?" I scoffed.

He narrowed his eyes, and suddenly I realized this was not someone I didn't want to fuck with! "You can call me Marik," he replied, suddenly the room shook, I stumbled a bit.

"What was that?" I asked, thinking he did that.

"It appears someone is trying to get your attention," Marik replied. I turned to walk away. "One last thing, _Mara_" I turned and looked at him to show that he had my attention- he put a weird infancies on my name, as if it was supposed to be an insult "I hope you know, you were crossing a very dangerous line, don't push your luck!" he sneered.

"I understand," I replied with a nod.

I blinked a few times, trying to make sense of what had just happened Reino was shaking me not-all-to-gently which wasn't helping. I reached up and put my hand on his arm so he would stop.

"Hey, Mara!" he laughed giving me a friendly kiss on my cheek. He sounded like a happy little puppy. He was a hyper person, when he wanted to be!

"Hi…" I replied, still a little tired from whatever happened last night. "What's up?"

"Coffee?" he asked, "It's on me!" Although I knew he had already had about three and a half pots "That band you like is playing at the Bean House!"

I yawned, I half felt like telling him about what I just saw, the other half knew it would someday land me in the loony bin. "Sure!" I replied. I knew he wanted something, why else would he offer to pay for something? I just really needed some coffee "just let me get dressed!"

I got up, went to my room, and quickly got dressed in my favorite black v-neck t-shirt that had 'Fate of the Angles' written sideways across the chest in big red block letters, a faded purple hoody, a pair of dark blue skinny jeans and a pair of black combat boots. I tied my hair in loose, low pony tail and grabbed my deck and duel disk of my night stand and went back in the living room.

"Look at you: being all proactive and stuff!" Reino giggled as I attached my duel disk to my wrist. I was the reigning Duel Monsters national champion of Egypt, ranked 2nd in Japan, and 4th in America, I had made quite a name for myself, and frankly, if I wasn't with Sam or Adam, everyone wanted a piece of me!

"Shut-up," I replied grabbing the spare helmet off the kitchen counter and dumping the useless knick-knacks into another bowl. I threw the helmet to Reino, hitting him in the chest, and knocking the air out of him. I laughed as he lied wheezing on the couch. "Come on!" I replied, "Let's go!"

"_Even the best fall down some times,_

_Even the wrong words seem so right_

_Out of the dark that fills my mind, _

_I'll finally find, you and I Collide"_

I sat in a soft arm chair, taping my feet to the rhythm of the song, and mouthing the words against the straw of my drink with a faint smile on my lips. I could hear two high school boys arguing at the table next to me, Reino nudged my leg, getting me to focus on what they were saying:

"Go ahead, ask her!" one of them whispered.

"No! It looks like she doesn't want to be disturbed!" the other argued. "She probably gets this all the time, what makes you think she'll say 'yes'?"

"What makes you think she'll say 'no'?"

I opened my eyes and struggled to make eye contact with one of them.

"Dude, she's looking this way!" one of them said.

Now that I knew I had his attention, I motioned for them to come join Reino and me at our table. I gave them a warm smile; making one of them blush. there was nothing I hated more than being treated like a God because I was good at a card game. "Now, what was it you wanted to ask me?" I asked.

"Uh… um… well… I was wondering-"

I hit Reino in the stomach, as he tried to stifle his laughter "She's not the president, for God's sake; she won't hurt anything but your pride!" I hit him again.

"Well, you're a really great duelist and all, and I was wondering: would you give me a few pointers?" he asked, his eyes wide with hope and anticipation.

I smiled, "what's your name?" I asked, wiggling around in my chair to get my deck out of my back pocket.

"Cameron!" he replied anxiously.

"And your friend?" I flipped through my deck, pulling out a few select cards.

"Uh- this is Ben!" Cameron replied, gesturing to the boy next to him.

"Alright, Ben, Cameron listen up, I don't repeat myself!" I replied, laying the cards down in front of them. There were 5 cards: 'Silver Fang', 'Anna Lee Angle of the Gods', 'The Fallen Angle Elizabeth', 'The Thief King's Apprentice', and 'The Thief King' himself "My number one rule: always trust your cards, the more you've been though with them, the better, to the point you can't stand to see them destroyed." I picked up 'Silver Fang' "for me, they're representations of my friends, and family members, and I'd do anything to protect my friends and family, thus I'd do anything to keep my monsters on the field!" I looked up; the two boys were hung on my every word, even Reino was still interested in what I had to say, and he had heard this a thousand times."But then comes a nasty revelation!" I put 'Silver Fang' back down on the table and picked 'Anna Lee' and 'Elizabeth' "sacrifice: how can you possibly throw a friend away?" I gave Reino his queue… nothing! I nudged his leg.

"Hu-Oh!" he replied, as I jolted him out of his haze "You have to trust that your friends will understand; if they don't then they're not your real friends!" he sounded a little too much like he was reading off a script, but Ben was too preoccupied with my cleavage, and Cameron was apparently a very oblivious child.

"Any questions?" I asked, pulling my shirt up, and sticking the cards back in my deck.

"Can I see your deck?" Cameron asked almost too quickly, Reino and I put the same expression of dread on our faces.

"Second rule: never let someone you just met handle your deck!2" Reino replied, "Slide of hand is a very easy thing to master, and those who are good actors are hard to spot!"

"It's not that we don't like you, it's just I've chased down way too many card thieves to just freely hand over my deck like that!" I told them.

"I understand!" Cameron replied. "Come on dude," he said hitting Ben in the arm, "We should go!"

I was feeling better, now that I was caffinated; the events of earlier that morning were pushed far to the back of my mind. I skipped down the sidewalk with Reino in tow, earning several strange glances from the passer-bys of Sunday-after town's people.

"Where are we going?" Reino asked.

I stopped and turned around, ogling at him "What are you talking about? We always lock-up for Mattie, so she can pick her little sister up from soccer practice- then we go have Sunday dinner with Adam and Iris!" I replied, "Are you okay, did you hit your head?"

"I-I'm fine," he replied, squinting threw his thick rimmed glasses.

"Do you need a new prescription?" I asked, he shook his head 'no', something was up, whether he wanted to admit it or not.

We got to the pet shop, and relived Mattie of her duties, "Get the register, I'll feed the stock and clean up a little" I replied, getting a bag of dog food, and a mettle cup out of the storage closet,

"Um-okay!" he replied, walking behind the counter, which is weird because most of the employees-including me and Reino-usually just jump…

I quickly and quietly unlocked the first cage, and feed the happy little speckled puppy inside. I kept an ever watchful eye on Reino as he fiddled with the register, touching it lightly like he was trying to break into it. "Are you sure you're okay?" I asked again.

He looked up at me, but at the staring straight threw me, as if I was some sort of a ghost "I'm fine!" he replied, in an angry tone.

_Maybe we've been spending too much time around each other? _I thought, still not taking my eyes off Reino. Suddenly I heard cynical laughter, I looked around quickly, but no one other than Reino was there.

"Are _you _okay?" Reino asked looking up for the cash register he still hadn't managed to crack.

"Fine!" I replied. He apparently hadn't heard the laughter. _I'm losing it! _I thought.

'No, Mara, in fact, I've never seen anyone more perceptive!' I knew exactly what was going on now.

"Marik?" I replied accidently. Reino gave me a skeptical look, I ignored it.

'Perceptive… but a lack of common sense, don't speak out loud, unless you want _him _to notice you!' Marik replied.

_You mean Reino? _I asked him, giving my friend a quick, cautious glance.

'If _that's _what you want to call him'

_That's his name, why would I call him anything else? _

'Because, although that's your little friend's body, he's not the one in control right now, and- trust me- he's not your friend right now!' there was more laughter, and then he was silent.

I examined Reino for a little while longer when I realized Marik was right: there was no way this was Reino! He was too quiet, too serious, and too clueless about a job he had had for two years!

"Who are you?" I asked casually, finishing with my first task and pulling the broom out of the supply closet, I began sweeping as though I had asked a question as casual as 'what are you doing next Friday?'.

"Pardon me?" he replied.

"Who are you?" I repeated a little louder this time.

"What are you talking about, Mara? It's me Reino, are you having an episode?" he replied in a manner that would have made anyone else believe he was Reino. He moved closer to me and put his hand on my forehead, "Do you need me to drive you to the doctor?"

"Get Away From Me!" I yelled, pushing his hand away, I glared at him.

"Hmm…" he replied, suddenly dropping his Reino-like demeanor all together, his eyes narrowed and he began to laugh. "I didn't count on you!" he laughed running a finger threw my hair, again I slapped it away. "Then again, I should have seen it coming, you know him better than anyone else"

"Then who are you?" I almost screamed.

He put a finger to my lip, "no need to be so loud!" he replied in a mockingly soothing tone.

I backed away, he pursued, until my back was flat against one of the many stacks of animal cages that covered three of the four walls. I was terrified of him to be honest, but I could exactly let him know that, now could I?

"Answer me!" I yelled, my 'not backing down' look on my face.

He rapped a slender hand around my throat "You not in a position to be asking questions, nor demanding answers!" he hissed, the hand around my neck slowly tightening with every word.

I knew I needed to fight back, but I knew if I fought too hard I would seriously hurt my best friend, and if didn't fight hard enough, it would just make him anger, and I would most likely die! Finally I made up my mind, digging the toe of my combat-boot into his shin, the surprise alone gave me enough time to flip the situation around on him, I grabbed a hand full of his hair, and the Millennium Rod from my back belt loop (though I still wasn't sure what exactly it was for).

"I don't know how to use this thing, but I know it's going to hurt if I hit you over the head with it!" I hissed, hoping he wouldn't call my bluff.

He gave me a sinister smile "Congratulations, Mara! You've won a battle, but let me assure you, you can't win this war without my help!" suddenly he collapsed, falling forward into my arms, I sank to my knees to accommodate the newly added weight "Mara…" Reino replied weakly. He was paler than usual.

Suddenly there was a dinging noise-the front door. I turned around to see the purple and blond paint explosion that was Adam Moto's hair. "Hey guys, Iris was getting worried about you, and she wanted me to-"

"Adam, call a doctor!" I replied, zipping my jacket to hide the purple hand print on my neck.

"What happened?" Adam asked.

"I don't know… we were cleaning up, and he collapsed!" I replied, not wanting to divulge the whole truth until I absolutely had to.


	3. Chapter 3

"What is your relation to the patient?" the way-too-apathetic receptionist at the Tokyo General Hospital asked.

"We're adopted siblings!" I lied -well kind of- since we were 7-years-old we shared the same legal guardian.

"Oh, and who honors this 'adoption'?" the women said, razing her eyebrows smugly, it took all I had not to reach across the counter and slap her stupid half moon shaped rhinestoned glasses of her face!

"The country of Egypt," I replied a little too loudly.

"Are you two illegal?"

"Why the hell should that matter?" I yelled. "Are you not going to help him if we are?"

"ma'am, please calm down there's no need to raze your voice," the receptionist replied.

"No need to raze my voice?" I scoffed "You won't let me in to see my best friend, when he could be _dieing_ and you say 'there's no need to raze my voice'? I should pull out all your hair for saying that!" I yelled taking her completely aback. "Let me tell you something you little-"

"Mara," Iris replied, firmly yet gently squeezing my arm, making me feel like a little kid, I hated it and loved it at the same time. "Why don't you go sit down, I'll deal with this"

I opened my moth to protest, but I lost my nerve when she gave me the "look", and went to take my seat. I starched out on a couch, lightly closing my eyes. I could have really gone for a dirty martini or a really fast ride right about then.

"Hey Mara, are you okay?" I opened my eyes to see Adam sit down across from me.

"Peachy," I replied sarcastically.

"Okay I asked for that one!" Adam replied, he stretched out his legs and leaned back in the chair. "I'm thinking of going back to Domino for the break, what about you?"

I looked at him out of the corner of my eyes, _smart move Muto! _I thought "I don't know… Egypt's nice this time of year, maybe I'll visit my grandfather" I replied solemnly "I've got some questions for him anyways"

"About what?" Adam asked.

I sat up and pulled the Millennium Rod out of my bag, and held it up. "this," I replied, I hadn't thought of it until now… but Adam was in position of a strange pyramid shaped puzzle with the same eye-shaped crest on it, it sat on a shelf in his room, I had asked about it once or twice back in our freshmen year of collage -when he was my language tutor- but I had long since forgotten what his reply was.

He gave me a "hm" sound and ended the conversation. I could be hard to talk to at times, especially when I didn't want to talk.

We sat in silence until Iris came back, hands stuffed in her sleek white leather jacket. I sat up straight, and looked at her hopefully "Well?" I asked. She said nothing, and just shook her head solemnly, her sleek black hair dancing around her shoulders. I let out a frustrated sigh, and dropped my head. "I'll be right back!" I replied, I stood up and headed out of the waiting room.

"Your emotionally compromised, shouldn't drive!" Iris yelled after me.

"I'm not planning on it!" I yelled, stomping off.

When I got to the parking lot I sat down on the side walk, not caring what the passer bys thought about me. I dug threw my bag until I found what I was looking for: an electric blue cigarette case with the words "children see, children do" scratched in to it, I flipped the top open and pulled one out, I stuck it in my mouth and fumbled around for my lighter.

"that's a bad habit!" Marik said, though I was sure he was just taunting me.

_Shut-up!_ I told him, lighting my cigarette and taking a heavy drag. _I'll do what I dam well please! _"ak!" I felt a sudden sharp pain in my temple.

"behave!" he scolded.

I grumbled to myself, and took another heavy drag to take the pain away. I looked at the cigarette case again, remembering that it was my birth father who first drove me to smoke, being that he always smoked, on the day of my half sister a birth I stole his cigarette and scratched "children see, children do" onto it with his car keys; in an effort to get him to stop smoking, but he didn't care, he never cared about me, or my sister, that's why he was willing to let me go live in Egypt, and why he left my mother the moment she was diagnosed with cancer.

_I only smoke when I'm stressed _I explain._their's no direct threat to my- or I guess our health _I inhaled another heavy drag, when I felt a hand on my shoulder and I dropped my cigarette in my lap, and burned myself. I jumped to my feet and dancing around, trying to get the hot ember off my pants.

"Oh, sorry!" Adam replied. "I didn't know you smoked"

I doubled over letting my adrenalin settle. "not often!" I said threw gritted teeth. I could here Marik laughing in my head. "Well, what do you want?" I asked, trying to regain my composure, though I could tell it wasn't working.

"The hospital has a back entrance, we could sneak in!" he offered.

"did Iris go home?" I replied knowing full well she would yell at us both then give us the silent treatment for a week, and after that she would call us Bonny & Clyde until one of us snapped, if she knew we broke into a hospital.

He laughed.

"Well, get on with it!" Marik scoffed, and I had to think twice before I answered him out loud.

"alright!" I replied to Adam, "lets go!"

Adam smiled, "okay, lets go!"

As I walked down to the back of the hospital I turned my attention to the little man in my head!

_Just Shut-up! _I told him

"I'll do what ever I dam well please!" he scoffed.

Then I had a thought, and shook my head back and forth vigorously a couple times.

"Are you serious?" he asked, with an amused laugh.

_It's logical! _I told him _you're in my head, that should have been like an earth quake to you or something! _

By this time we were at the back door of the hospital with the words "staff entrance" painted on them as I studied the lock Adam asked: "can you hack it?"

"you don't 'hack' a key lock, you 'pick' it!" I replied, "and no, I can't, but watch this!" I began banging on the door "Hello, Hello?" I yelled. It took a while but finally someone came.

"Patents are supposed to check in up front!" an angry intern snapped.

"I'm sorry, but we're on the laundry staff, and I forgot my key at home!" I replied. "Could you let us in?"

"what about his keys?" he asked.

"uh… we share a key!" I replied.

"and you're uniforms and I.D. badges?"

"in our lockers!"

He gave us one last skeptical look before stepping aside and let us in. "oh, and one more thing!" I replied, the intern turned to look at me, and I hit him in the face as hard as I could, knocking him out. I turned to Adam, "come on!" I whispered. And we walked briskly down the hall.

"how are we going to find him, and what was that?" Adam asked.

I chuckled "Stay quiet and fallow!" I checked in every room, except those labeled 'surgery' until I came across a nurse. "excuse me, sir, we've been wandering around for a while now, the secretary keeps getting us confused, could you tell me where Reino Bakura is staying?" I asked sounding as innocent as possible.

"of cores young lady!" she replied, "fallow me!" she checked her clip board and ushered us down a hall way. I turned and gave a thumbs up to Adam. "he should be in here!" the nurse replied, stopping out side a room with a number I really can't remember.

"thank you ma'am!" I replied sweetly, as I closed the door behind me. As soon as it clicked shut I giggled, wallowing in self satisfaction, before I had to face the matter at hand.

I listened to the steady beep of his heart monitor, that was a good sign, but he was still out. Adam tried to read the information on the side of his bed, but it was all medical gibberish, all he could make out were the things I already could have guessed: stabile, unresponsive, unknown cause.

"the Ring" Marik muttered.

_What? _I replied.

"The Millennium Ring you dumb blond, put it around his neck!" he yelled.

_Okay, okay don't yell at me!_

"or what? You'll shake your head again?" he mocked. I walked over to the box containing his personal effects and dug threw them until I found the Millennium Ring.

"what are you doing?" Adam asked.

"if I told you you'd think I was crazy!" I muttered only I said it in a way that made me sound crazy. I hung the leather strap around Reino's neck and instantly his eyes flew open. It startled me and I yipped and jumped backwards, slamming my back into a wall.

Adam looked at me with wide eyes.

"presto!" I replied with a nervous laugh. Again I could tell this wasn't Reino, and I stood in the corner and shivered, as he stretched and swung his legs over the side of the bed.

"Well hello again, Mara, how have you been?" he laughed trying to stand up. When he was hindered by the I.V. and heart monitor attached to his arm, he reached over and yanked them off. Let out a high-pitched shriek. "aw, what's wrong, Love? Are you hemaphobic, or are you just upset because I'm hurting you friend?"

"Mara, Reino, what's going on-" Adam was interrupted by a bright flash of light emanating from his back-pack.

"ah, and you brought the Pharaoh with you too?" not-Reino asked. "and it's not even my birthday!"

He took one step towards me before Adam chimed in again "Don't you dare touch her!" his voice was suddenly deeper, and I turned and looked at him, their was something very un-Adam about him.

"Or what Pharaoh, tell me, what will you do?" not-Reino laughed, then a verbal fight broke out.

_What's going on? _I asked Marik.

"their the sprits from the Millennium Items, Blondie!" he replied. "They took over your friends bodies, I could do the same!"

_Then why don't you? _

"because, you're more complicated to control than they are, you have something of a wall built around yourself, I can only take control when you get angry," he explained.

I was jolted out of my mind conversation when I was suddenly brought back into the one happening right in front of me. "It appears I need to barrow your duel disk, Love!" not-Reino replied again he advanced toward me.


End file.
